


you said you'd grow old with me

by smugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, aaron stands up for himself, i love robert but i'm so mad, liv defends her big brother, liv is not happy, writers why?!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-31 08:59:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8572300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smugden/pseuds/smugden
Summary: "Aaron, please, don't."Robert pleaded, moving closer to the younger man.”I’m trying. I’m trying to do better. I can change.”

  "You can’t change, Robert, no matter how hard you try and even if you could, it should be for you. Not for me.”

  Aaron spoke with absolute calmness that it almost made Robert want to drop to his knees.

  "This is who you are, and i'm tired of lying to myself.”
Robert is forced to face the consequences of his actions.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so mad at the episode that aired on Tuesday 15th, and this had to be written. I haven't watched it because i couldn't bear it but i've seen gifs and stuff.
> 
> I love Robert, so this isn't a hate fic. I love him, and i've been so proud of him, but i really want to punch his beautiful face.
> 
> How can months of character development be wrecked in an episode? I hope Aaron confronts him and doesn't instantly forgive him because i don't want him to be hurt again!

[[x]](https://lizzzzoo.tumblr.com/post/124854753054)

* * *

  **Aaron wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole.**

 

Time seemed to freeze, and he almost forgot to breathe as he stared at his little sister, replaying the words over and over in his mind, trying to make sense of them as he processed what had been said.

 

His lips parted, but no sound came out for a full minute.

 

He wanted to say so many things.

 

_He wouldn’t._

 

_He couldn’t, not to me._

 

_He swore._

 

But, instead, one word came out.“What?”

 

There was no humour on Liv’s face, nothing that could prove that she was merely upset with Robert or joking. Her expression was one of pure honesty and the water in her eyes proved that she wasn’t lying.

 

For the first time, Liv’s snooping had come in use.

 

“I heard it and saw it.”Liv whispered, looking down at her hands because it was too painful to see Aaron’s heartbreaking.”Diane walked in, too. She kissed him, and he didn’t pull away. He pulled away after kissing her back. He shouldn’t have to pull away. Nobody kisses someone unless they give out a signal, right?”

 

Aaron cleared his throat, forcing a laugh as he said.“He’s playing her.”

 

It was clear that he wasn’t trying to convince Liv, he wanted to convince himself.

 

“He told her that it wasn’t the time.”

 

Aaron blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill as he looked down at the ring on his finger.

 

He had warned Robert to stay away from the White family; they were poison.

 

He wanted to feel angry; he wanted to curl up into a ball and never move. Aaron wanted to feel the anger because he knew how to act but the ache in his chest, feeling like he couldn’t breathe was something he couldn’t control.

 

He couldn’t control the heartbreak.

 

He felt the urge to laugh because maybe it was karma. He and Robert had stared out as an affair and maybe karma had come back to bite him in the arse.

 

“Aaron?”

 

A hand small than his own covered the ring on his finger, and he slowly raised his head.

 

He looked at his little sister, expecting to see pity, something he’d gotten a lot the last year.

 

But there was no pity, just anger and hurt.

 

“Hey, don’t cry. What are you? A girl?”Liv gave him the smirk that he knew as trouble.”You’re supposed to be a Dingle. I say we go and make him pay.”

 

“I thought you were beginning to like him.”

 

“I was. I shared my carrot cake with him.”Liv said harshly as if she was embarrassed that she had trusted Robert.”But he hurt you and, believe it or not, I like you more than him. So, what will it be, eh? A Dingle beat down or you and me giving him a black eye?”

 

Aaron forced a smile, squeezing her hand.

 

“Nah. This is my fault. I trusted him.”Aaron quietly said more to himself than to Liv.”He’s good with words and I believed them. I actually thought that I was different.”

 

Liv, in a rare moment of affection, held tighter onto her brother.

 

“It’s not your fault. I believed him. Heck, Chas believed him.”

 

Aaron nodded, pulling his pint to him, his jaw clenching.

 

“But I know him.”Aaron said with a stern nod before his brow furrowed as he played with his ring.”Or at least I thought I did.”

 

He stood after downing the last of his pint, somewhat pleased that Liv had taken him to a booth at the back of the bar so that nobody could witness his tears.

 

Liv also stood, wiping at her own eyes as Aaron rubbed at his own to hide the tears.

 

Despite all her bravado, Liv truly cared for her brother and, though she made gagging noises whenever she witnessed him and Aaron showing affection, she just wanted to see him happy.

 

She had actually started to care for Robert when she saw how happy he made her brother.

 

But now that Robert had made Aaron cry and hurt him, now that Robert had broken Aaron’s trust knowing how feeble it was, Liv wanted to make him pay.

 

Liv followed her brother as he made his way to the bar, about to go into the backroom.”Aaron, wait!”

 

The worry in her voice caught Chas’ ears, and the protective mother turned around, ignoring a customer, smile falling as she noticed Aaron’s forlorn expression.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

Aaron shook his head, trying to get past as Liv followed him.”Nothing.”

 

She stopped him, hand on his chest before he could pass her, and pushed him back lightly.

 

“Don’t lie to me, love, you know it won’t work.”Chas said, voice lowering so that nobody could hear them.”Tell me what’s wrong.”

 

Aaron said nothing, just looked down at his hi-tops, nails digging into his palm.

 

Chas cooed, hands on Aaron’s shoulders.”What is it?”

 

Again, he didn’t answer, so she turned to Liv.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

Liv opened her mouth to answer, but a face caught her gaze. Her expression turned harsh as Rebecca strutted in on her own, smiling at a man that held the door open for her. She heard Aaron inhale sharply and her eyes narrowed in anger.

 

Chas, noticing Aaron’s shaking and Liv’s expression, frowned.

 

“What is it?”Chas asked again, tone turning worried as she held a reluctant Aaron still.”Tell me, son, please. You know I hate to see you like this.”

 

Liv shuffled closer to the pair, eyes on Rebecca who sat on a stool at the bar.

 

The teenager nodded toward the White sister, muttering.”Her. Barbie kissed Ken, and he didn’t pull away. He did but not after snogging her back.“

 

Chas froze as she processed the new information, turning to look at Rebecca then back at her son.

 

“You’re kidding?”

 

The female Dingle looked at her son who was still turned away from them, hands in his pockets.

 

His blank expression and clenched jaw was the answer she needed.

 

A dark look appeared in her eyes.”I’ll kill them.”

 

“Mum, please.”

 

“I let that muppet in my home. I actually believed him!”

 

Chas quickly kissed Aaron’s forehead.”I’ll sort her out, love, don’t you worry.”

 

Chas moved to go in the direction of Rebecca but Aaron pulled her back.”Mum, you’ll get arrested. I don’t need that; you don’t need that.”

 

She gave him a baffled look.”You can’t let them get away with it. Where is Robert?”

 

“He’s with Vic.”Liv answered for Aaron, arms over her chest.”We’re going to deal with him later.”

 

Before Aaron could protest, Chas nodded in agreement with Liv, hands on Aaron’s arms.“And i’ll deal with her.”

 

“You’ll get locked up.”

 

His mother merely shrugged, but before she could make a move, Rebecca’s fake polite voice piped up.”Service, please!”

 

The three turned and looked at the young woman who wore overly expensive clothes and, going by the smile on her face; she was proud of knowing something she assumed Aaron didn’t. Her elbow on the bar, she rested her chin on her palm, money already out to pay for her drink.

 

Aaron’s fingers curled into fists again.

 

He was really beginning to question his rule about hitting women.

 

His mother gave Rebecca a fake smile back.”Just a minute, love.”

 

The Dingle mother moved to walk away but Aaron grabbed her again. He knew the look she wore; it was the look she gave whenever she was thinking about revenge.

 

“I’m gonna strangle her with that bleedin’ scarf.”Chas hissed, trying to move from her son.”What is she trying to hide underneath them, anyway? The hickey's?”

 

“Mum, you can’t.”Aaron whispered desperately, refusing to glance in the direction of Rebecca who still swore her smug smile.”You’ll get sent down. She’s a White. They call the police for anything.”

 

“Grass.”

 

Rebecca huffed, long nails drumming on the bar as she stared at the three.

 

“Is anyone working tonight?”

 

Chas’ eye almost twitched.

 

“You want me to just pour her a drink and smile?”Chas asked Aaron, expression softening as she saw his glassed over eyes.”Love, I can’t do that.”

 

“You can’t go near her.”

 

All of a sudden, the sound of Liv’s scoff caught their attention.

 

“You can’t. I can.”

 

Before Aaron could stop her, Liv ambled over to where Rebecca was.

 

“Liv!”

 

The teenager placed her hands on the bar and gave the young woman across from her a toothy grin.

 

“Hiya.”

 

Rebecca gave her a frown but returned the greeting anyway.”Hi. Aren’t you a bit young to be behind a bar?”

 

Liv’s grin didn’t falter, and she cocked her head.”Aren’t you a bit old to be wearing a polka dot scarf and a hat like that? You’re like, forty, not fourteen. Also, did you look outside when you were getting dressed this morning? It’s sunny, not snowing.”

 

“It’s fashion.”

 

Liv quickly fired back.“It’s _stupid_.”

 

Rebecca’s smile didn’t fade, but Liv noticed that she stopped drumming her nails. The elder female leant closer, hands folded in front of her but Liv just continued grinning at her.

 

“Can you get Chas for me, please? I’d like my drink.”

 

“Yeah, well, you’re gonna have to wait. She never pours mine on time.”Liv replied, noticing that Rebecca glanced over at Aaron and Chas again.”You’ll have to wait. Dan was here before you.”

 

Rebecca looked at the teenager for a long moment, tilting her head.

 

“Did I offend you or something?”

 

“Yeah, you did. You kissed my brother’s fiance on my settee. I love that settee; that settee is there for me whenever I have a crappy day at school, and it’s comfortable enough to help me think when I do homework.”

 

Liv up on her tiptoes so that she could look at Rebecca at eye level.”And if you throw yourself at each guy who looks at you, who knows what you gave to it? You owe me a new settee, and while you’re at it, you are going to stay away from Robert if Aaron forgives him.”

 

Rebecca looked stunned for a moment before she let out a breathy laugh.”Excuse me?”

 

“You and Robert hurt my brother; only I do that. If he’s going to be hurt all the time, what am I going to do on weekends?”

 

Rebecca didn’t look upset or remorseful.

 

“Snooping is rude, you know.”

 

Aaron took a step forward, finding his voice.

 

”So ya did kiss him?”Aaron asked, and Rebecca nodded happily before he added.”and he...”

 

He couldn’t say it.

 

“He pulled away, but he did kiss me back for a moment. It’s clear he isn’t happy at home.”

 

Aaron had to force himself not to lunge over the bar. “You’re happy about that, are ya?”

 

She shrugged, a smug smile on her face again as she looked at Aaron before Liv again.

 

”I can’t help it if Robert wants me. It didn’t take much to get him.”

 

Rebecca didn’t think to react as Liv quickly grabbed a forgotten half pint off of the bar. The teenager got higher on her tiptoes, knocking off her hat, before she poured the drink over Rebecca’s head, making the White sister cry out in shock.

 

Gasps echoed throughout the pub before a few people began to laugh as Rebecca squealed in embarrassment, wiping at her face, smearing her make up over her skin.

 

Liv smirked at the mascara and makeup smeared across Rebecca’s face.”Huh, I think you look better with the koala eyes. Takes the attention away from the bad personality and bad dress sense.”

 

Aaron couldn’t stop the warm smile that graced his face as he realised that Liv had his back. She wasn’t saying ‘i told you so’ and that made him feel a little better.

 

The White let out a hiss as she glared at Liv.”You little-”

 

“Bitch, I know.”

 

Rebecca whined, wiping at her eyes as she inhaled and exhaled, trying to control her temper before she made a scene.

 

She looked at Liv, hand raised but Chas appeared next to her.

 

“Try it, and you’ll _lose_ that hand.”

 

Rebecca hissed again, looking like she was about to stomp her foot before she grabbed her purse and stormed out of the pub. Everyone watched after her and, after realising that there was to be no more drama, they returned to their drinks.

 

Liv turned around to look at her brother, but he was gone.

 

Her smile faded, and she looked down at her feet.

 

“Don’t worry; he just needs time. But he did smile when you defended him.”

 

She looked up at Chas.“He did?”

 

Chas nodded at Liv, arm around the teenager’s shoulders.

 

She rubbed Liv’s arm happily, smiling down at her.”You really are one of us, love. The look on her face was priceless.”

 

Liv shrugged, crossing her arms.“It’s not going to make Aaron feel better, is it?”

 

Chas nodded with a hum as she hugged Liv to her.

 

“Not right now but he knows we’re here for him, and that’s what matters. He just needs to know that we’re here.”

 

Liv looked even more worried as she played with the ends of her hoodie.“It’s Aaron; he bottles stuff up.”

 

“I know. We’ll give it a day, and if he doesn’t talk, we hug him until he does.”

* * *

 

 _I can’t help it if Robert wants me. It didn’t take_ _much to get him._ _It’s clear he isn’t happy at home._

 

Rebecca’s words replaying in his mind, Aaron bounced his leg as he tried to control himself from either having an outburst or giving into the tears. He held onto the anger part because he wouldn’t let himself cry, he would not show weakness.

 

Though seeing Liv defending him had perked him up a little. He hadn’t wanted to hit a woman so much before Rebecca.

 

He knew that Robert was working with her for Andy but Aaron had begged him to stay away from her. He wanted his brother back, and Aaron understood that but kissing Rebbeca wasn’t going to bring Andy back. Aaron knew that Robert would do anything to get what he wanted and for those around him but he never thought that Robert would hurt him to get what he wanted.

 

They had spoken over and over about Robert’s ways of doing things, and it was like it went in one ear and out the other.

 

He wasn’t sure if he could do it anymore.

 

Aaron looked up from toying with his fingers at the sound of the back door shutting and Robert’s playful tone as he called for him.

 

“ _Honey, i’m home!”_

 

Any other day Aaron would’ve smiled but, at that moment, he wanted to let his mother sink her claws into Robert.

 

The Dingle rubbed his forehead when he felt the start of a headache as he imagined Paddy’s reaction as well as the rest of his family. Cain and the rest would be out for blood and Paddy would be comforting while giving him the ‘i told you so’ lecture.

 

He didn’t want to deal with any of that.

 

“ _Aaron?”_

 

The man in question shut his eyes at the sound of his name falling from Robert’s lips, his leg bouncing harsher due to the stress he was under.

 

Robert sounded cheery.

 

For some reason, that made it worse.

 

Aaron stayed still and quiet as he heard Robert shrugging off his jacket and no doubt hang it over the bannister before he heard the sound of the door handle being pulled down. A moment later he heard the door open then shut and, without looking at him, Aaron could feel the smile on Robert’s face.

 

“Aaron?”

 

Aaron’s eyes snapped open, but he didn’t rush into the shouting.

 

Instead, he remained calm; he was too exhausted to fight.

 

He’d play along, just to see if Robert did come clean.

 

He slowly turned his head, eyes trailing up Robert’s body until he met his gaze.

 

He swallowed the hurt that threatened to spill and forced a neutral look on his face.

 

“Hey.”

 

Robert gave him his usual charming smile, sitting on the arm of the settee, eyes turning a shade lighter as he stared at his other half.

 

“Why are you sitting alone?”

 

Aaron shrugged, glancing at the show playing on the TV that he hadn’t given any attention to.”Liv’s playing darts and mum’s working so I took the chance. I need some peace sometimes from all the woman banging on about whatever women talk about.”

 

Robert nodded, seemingly buying it.

 

Aaron then suddenly noticed the collection of brochures in Robert’s hands.

 

“What you got there?”

 

Robert let himself fall from the arm of the chair until he was sat next to Aaron. The younger man sneakily shuffled away, propping his legs up on the coffee table, locking his ankles.

 

“Vic gave me these.”Robert said with a large smile, showing Aaron the front cover of one of the brochures.”I was thinkin’ we could go through them and pick the cake since your mum has done everything else.”

 

Aaron almost laughed, his mother and Victoria had been bickering over things for the wedding. Aaron hadn’t cared, as long as they were happy. He only cared about marrying Robert; he didn’t care where it was or how expensive it was.

 

The Dingle rested his head on his hand, observing Robert's face.

 

Was he so interested in the wedding because he was guilty or did he actually care?

 

He didn’t care enough about the ring on his finger when he let Rebecca kiss him.

 

“It’s cake, mate; it’ll be gone as soon as my family gets hold of it. They’ll need something for the booze to go down with.”

 

“Yeah but Vic wants to do it.”Robert said, placing down the brochure before grabbing another, shuffling closer to Aaron, making the younger man wince.”How about this one? Honeymoon destinations. You’ve got to be interested in that.”

 

Instead of looking at the page, Aaron let his eyes trail over Robert’s face, trying to find something that could explain why he had let his ‘game’ go so far.

 

He thought he was enough for him.

 

He thought that _nobody else came close_.

 

The Dingle narrowed his eyes as Robert looked over the pricing with a small smile.”Rob, what about the money? We don’t have enough for that.”

 

Robert shrugged, kissing his teeth as he leant back against the settee.”We’ll have enough.”

 

“Yeah, how? Are you and Cain gonna rob a bank?”

 

Robert shrugged again, lips curving up into a small smirk.

 

Aaron shifted uncomfortably, utterly disgusted with sitting on the sofa that Robert and Rebecca had kissed on. His fingers entangled then untangled in his lap as he stressfully toyed with them, his jaw tight so he could force himself to remain calm.

 

Aaron blinked out of his thoughts at the sound of a vibration beside him.

 

He turned, picking up his phone, seeing a new message from his mum.

 

_Everything all right? Need back up? Everyone is here; we’re all worried. x_

 

Great, the entire clan was in the pub.

 

Just what he needed.

 

He quickly typed back a reply, telling his mum to keep everyone out of the back room. He looked at Robert who didn’t seem to notice; he was too engrossed in the brochure.

 

“Bora Bora would be fun, right?”

 

Robert turned and looked at him, a child-like glint in his eyes.

 

Aaron only shrugged, twirling his phone around his fingers.”Do what you want.”

 

Robert’s smile faded, and he cocked his head, confused.”What?”

 

“It is your holiday, and you’re gonna need it, right?”Aaron finally turned and looked at Robert, a blank look on his face as he could see that Robert was trying to read him.”You’re going to be lookin’ for a new place to sleep since Vic and Adam probably won’t let you kip with them, and you won’t be here.”

 

Robert huffed out a laugh, looking utterly confused as he tried to figure out if Aaron was joking.

 

“Aaron, what-”

 

“Or maybe, since you’re so close, Rebecca might let you in her bed. It won’t be awkward, right? Since you’ve had no problem snogging on _my_ settee under my roof where _my_ sister sleeps, yeah?”

 

All colour drained from Robert’s face.

 

His smile fell, the light in his eyes died, and the brochure fell from his hands and landed on the floor.

 

Aaron would never deny that, in that split second, seeing Robert’s expression felt good.

 

But the feeling quickly faded as the pang in his chest re-appeared.

 

Robert stared into air blankly as Aaron, unable to be close to him for any longer, shot up to his feet. Robert seemed frozen in time, his body still, face still without emotion. The younger man walked around the couch, needing as much space in between them as possible.

 

“I’ve already packed your stuff.”Aaron mumbled but knew Robert could hear him; the silence was thick.”You need to go before Liv or my mum sees you. They’re out for your blood and so is the rest of my family.”

 

Robert finally blinked at the words, breaking out of his daze as Aaron pacing back and forth behind the settee.

 

The older man turned around on the couch, his eyes wide with panic.

 

“What?”

 

“You need to go. _Now_.”Aaron said more clearly, refusing to look at Robert.”I ain’t getting put back in prison; you ain’t worth it.”

 

“No, no, no...”Robert shook his head as he got to his feet, walking around the settee, almost tripping over his bags.”Aaron, it didn’t mean anything.”

 

“Liv seems to think different.”

 

Robert stopped in his tracks at the mention of the teenager.“What?”

 

Aaron stopped pacing long enough to speak again with a tone that made Robert flinch.”She saw you; she heard you. You know, i’d think with your track record of cheating, you would’ve gotten more stealthy. Didn’t your affair with me teach you anythin’?”

 

Robert rubbed a hand down his face, and he let out a long breath.”She- _no_.”

 

He had made so much progress with the teenager; she’d started to trust him after so long and this had to destroy all of the bridges they’d built.

 

“Liv had a run-in with Rebecca earlier; she poured a pint over her head. She wants to come after you which is why you have to leave. I’m not letting you anywhere near her.”

 

Robert’s face fell, and he tried to make his way over to Aaron, but the other man stepped away quickly.

 

“Aaron, please. I didn’t mean for it to happen. She came onto me and I pushed her away!”

 

“Yeah, after kissing her back.”Aaron said with a nod of his head, adding.”Thing is, she shouldn’t have been here in the first place. This is my _home_! My sister lives here, she sleeps here, my mum lives here.”

 

Robert did miss how he was left out and he swallowed the sharp pang.“It’s _our_ home!”

 

The laugh Aaron gave made Robert wince, it was a laugh of coldness.

 

Bitterness.

 

“Not anymore, mate. I told you that they were poison, that you had to stay away.”

 

“It’s for Andy!”

 

“At the start, yeah and maybe a small part of you still wants that, but you’ve fallen into a rabbit hole, Robert. You can’t get out, and i’m not letting you bring us down with you.”

 

Aaron nodded at the packed bags, a tight smile on his face.”You’re free to do whatever you want but i’m having no part in it. You need to leave before you leave in a body bag.”

 

“Aaron, just listen to me.”Robert begged, finger hopefully rubbing against his ring.”I need you to listen!”

 

“All I do is listen to you, and i’m tired. I've had enough of having the same conversation over and over again. It’s a loop of words that you don’t know the meaning of. You’re so good at it that it’s scary!”Aaron shouted, making Robert take a step back.”You mean them in the moment and you try, I get that, but you can’t help yourself. You become so blinded with what you want that you forget what you need. You need to think about others and how your actions affect them.”

 

“I need _**you**_. I need you, Liv and even Chas.”Robert’s voice was so small, and the fresh tears in his eyes made Aaron’s heart clench.”I need you in my life, Aaron. You’re the good; I _need_ good. You make everything right in my world. I can see everything when i’m with you. I love you.”

 

“Deep down, I know you do.”Aaron’s voice softened, and a small smile appeared on his face.”I know you love me, but that’s not enough. I can’t watch you every second of every day; I can’t do that. You don’t think; you just act, and I can’t live that way. I have Liv to think of; I have _myself_ to think of.”

 

“So what?”Robert held out his arms as he sniffed, trying to keep his own tears at bay.”You don't love me anymore?”

 

The look in Robert’s eyes made Aaron pause.

 

The panic, the desperation, the need for _**clarification**_.

 

He needed to know if Aaron loved him because at least he had something to hang onto.

 

“Of course I love ya. I can’t switch it off.”

 

A light appeared in Robert’s eyes, and he began to move forward toward Aaron but quickly stopped when the elder man held a hand out.

 

“But I can’t trust you; i _don’t_ trust you. If I don’t trust you, then loving you doesn’t matter.”

 

Robert froze.

 

Aaron didn’t trust him anymore?

 

“You can trust me!”Robert firmly said with a nod of his head.”I’d never hurt you!”

 

“You already have, that’s the problem. You don’t know what trust is!”

 

Robert turned his head to the side, unable to look at Aaron any longer.

 

He looked like a child that had just been reprimanded.

 

The two stood in silence, Aaron composing himself before he looked at the bags again.

 

“You have to go, Robert.”

 

Robert turned back just in time to see Aaron’s fingers itch toward his ring.

 

It wasn’t how he usually toyed with it because he hadn’t gotten used to it, an action Robert had commented how endearing it was.

 

No, Aaron’s fingers were about to take off the ring.

 

Robert suddenly couldn’t breathe.

 

He felt sharp pangs in his chest as Aaron's fingers touched his ring. He shook his head firmly.

 

Robert didn't think he could bear it if Aaron took the ring off because it meant that they were truly in trouble.

 

"Aaron, please, don't."Robert pleaded, moving closer to the younger man.”I’m _trying_. I’m trying to do better. I can change.”

 

"You can’t change, Robert, no matter how hard you try and even if you could, it should be for you. Not for me.”Aaron said with absolute calmness that it almost made Robert want to drop to his knees."This is who you are, and i'm tired of lying to myself.”

 

Slowly and reluctantly, Aaron pulled off the ring, free hand wiping at his wet cheeks.

 

Robert looked away, unable to watch. He could hear his heart beating in his ears, and he wanted to grab Aaron and force the ring back on his finger.

 

“Aaron, we can work this out. We’ve been through worse, haven’t we?”Robert forced a smile on his face as he stepped closer.”We’re not _easy_ , but that’s what makes us so great. _Please_ , just put the ring back on. We can take a break; i’ll wait as long as it takes but _please_ just put the ring back on.”

 

Aaron said nothing as he held the ring on his hand.

 

The younger man didn’t reach out and hand it back to Robert.

 

He couldn’t do that; he couldn’t be near him because Aaron knew that he would break.

 

Instead, Aaron placed the ring on top of the settee cushion and quickly looked away from it.

 

“You have to go. You can’t be here; I can’t have you here anymore.”

 

“Don’t make me go.”Robert shook his head again, taking a cautious step forward.”For the first time in years, i’ve felt like i’ve had a home.”

 

Robert slowly reached out and took Aaron’s hand despite the younger man trying to break free.

 

”I love waking up to you; I love how you talk in your sleep. I look forward to having breakfast with you and Liv every morning, even Chas. I look forward to being annoyed with how you eat and telling Liv to stop typing on her phone. I love watching re-runs of Friends with you and arguing over if Ross and Rachel were on a break.”

 

Robert’s voice cracked as his thumb brushed Aaron’s bare ring finger.”I love our little family. I want that _forever_.”

 

Aaron broke their gaze and he inhaled sharply, but Robert stopped him just before he could wrench his hand away.

 

”Aaron, I _can’t_ sleep without you.”Robert tugged on Aaron’s hand, pulling the younger man close to him and he brought his hands up, framing Aaron’s face.”I dream when i’m with you. I dream of when we’re old and bickering.”

 

“Robert, let go of me.”

 

“I can’t. I don’t want to.”Robert let his tears fall as he rested his forehead against Aaron’s.” _Baby_ , _please_ , don’t leave me. Don’t give up on us.”

 

Robert moved to tighten his hold on Aaron, but the younger man pushed the blonde away from him lightly, shaking his head.

 

Aaron wiped at his wet cheeks with the sleeve of his jumper, composing himself because he didn’t trust himself around Robert.

 

“I’m not the one who gave up.”

 

Without one last glance at Robert, Aaron quickly left the room, ignoring the calls of his name.

 

The door slammed shut, and Robert winced again.

 

He stood alone in the room, memories of bickering with Liv or Chas and nights of watching films with Aaron flashing through his mind.

 

Robert reached out and picked up the ring he had slipped on Aaron’s finger and his hand clenched into a fist around it.

 

Robert gave a sad smile, glancing at his bags before he finally let the tears fall.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried my best with this and to keep them all in character. Like i've said before, i'm still learning to write Robert and Aaron as well as the other characters. 
> 
> I hope someone liked it and, if you did, please let me know.


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